Color is one of the most nuanced elements in any design, and the English language doesn’t make it easy. We have maybe a dozen everyday words for color, but color itself has dozens of distinct properties. The result is a lot of “you know what I mean” conversations that somehow end in the wrong wall paint.

The good news is that you don’t need a degree in color theory to fix this, you just need to master five concepts.

You might discover, like I did, that a handful of well-chosen smart devices can quietly handle life's little annoyances without turning your home into a complicated tech project.

Every room needs bold or dark color to feel balanced and grounded. But, choosing colors for your home is a huge undertaking, and it isn't made any easier by how intimidating bold or dark colors can be.